Flagstaff Food Freedom Resolution Officially Dead

Vice Mayor Coral Evans put the final nail in the coffin of Flagstaff Liberty Alliance’s food freedom resolution last night when she announced that she was no longer interested in crafting a new resolution with Councilmember Jeff Oravits. The Vice Mayor said she was willing to move forward and find a compromise until she read my blog after the October 8th Council meeting. In that post I called her an “obstructionist” for fighting the FLA resolution every step of the way and helping spread misinformation about the intent of the resolution.

Trying to prove that she’s not an obstructionist by being an obstructionist seems a bit silly to me but that’s her prerogative.

Evans also printed copies of my blog for Council and stated that my article was written by the Flagstaff Liberty Alliance. I want to clear up any confusion she and others may have about the Flag Liberty Blog. The Flag Liberty Blog is the Elisha Dorfsmith blog and only the Elisha Dorfsmith blog. Readers can click on the “about” tab to understand that. The views presented on my blog should never be considered the official word from Flagstaff Liberty Alliance.

I am very disappointed that Vice Mayor Evans, Councilmember Celia Barotz and their friends at F3 fought so hard against a resolution supporting local gardens and food. The failure of this resolution means that Flagstaff residents will have to be extra vigilant when local food issues come before council to make sure that our rights and healthy food options are protected.

March Against Monsanto Protestors pose for a photo at a recent rally at Flagstaff City Hall. The freedom to grow healthy food, save seeds, and eat what we choose is being threatened by giant corporate interests and their friends in government. This is an issue many people in Flagstaff are very concerned about.

Imagine you’re out of work. But you’ve got capital in your talents, your home, and your family and friends. You might try to start a microbusiness at home to earn a little extra income and make ends meet. That is, unless you live in certain U.S. states.

Making Dough at Home

A few years ago, Mark Stambler started a business in his California home that became a flashpoint in a legalization battle. That might sound like he had a few marijuana plants growing in the closet. Actually, he was making and selling bread. Yes, bread. He did it so well, in fact, that Stambler was featured in the May 31, 2011, issue of the Los Angeles Times.

The next day, Department of Public Health authorities shut him down. There was no customer complaint; Stambler was simply “not in compliance” with regulations.

Stambler decided to take food off the black market. He helped to draft the California Homemade Food Act, which went into effect in January 2013. According to a January Forbes headline, it created over a thousand local businesses.

The episode raises a host of questions. Should home businesses be regulated? Should they stay in the black market? It’s hard to say. But one impact of the Homemade Food Act is clear: When government loosens control of commerce, businesses and jobs get created. The Forbes articles explained, “In Los Angeles County, there are [now] almost 270 cottage food businesses. Statewide, over 1,200 homemade food businesses have been approved.”